William grant tower



(No Model.)

W. G. TOWER.

SNAP HOOK.

No. 553,795. Patented Jan. 28, 1896.

" I 7zzl-wg'. 122067 UNITED STATES FATENT Enron.

VILLIAM GRANT T OVER, OF MURRIETTA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- IIALF TO A B. BURNETT, OF SAME PLACE.

SNAP-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,? 95, dated January 28, 1896. Application filed May 23,1895- Serial No. 550,384. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that LVVILLIAM GRANT Townn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Murrietta, in the county of Riverside and State of California, have invented a new and useful Snap-Hook, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in snap-hooks.

The object of the present invention is to simplify and improve the construction of snap-hooks, and to provide a device of the nature described which shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, durable and efficient in practice, which may be easily and quickly manipulated, and be absolutely safe and reliable in use.

To provide a snap-hook which shall comprise the points of advantage above enumerated, the invention consists in the novel features and details of construction and arrangement as hereinafter fully illustrated in the drawings and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a snap-hook constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown in its normal position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the springactuated pivoted button thrown around-in such position that its notch or slot registers with the combination-slot in the body of the hook. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the main body of the hook, taken from the opposite side to Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the body of the hook with the pivoted button omitted. Fig. 5 is a similar View of the notched and pivoted button, showing also the actuating-spring therefor. Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing a duplex snap-hook consisting of two of the hooks illustrated in Fig. 1 swiveled together and adapted to be used for splicing or connecting the adjacent ends of chains.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body of the improvedsnap-hook, which may be wrought, cast, or stamped out andcomposed of any appropriate or preferred metal or other material. The body of the hook is provided at one side with a circular cavity or the hook.

recess 2, and also with a pivotal pin .or stud 3 located centrally of said cavity or recess, said pin serving as the support for a circular button hereinafter described.

At the forward end of the body of the hook the latter is provided with a slot 4 with which a segmental slot 5 communicates, said latter slot terminating at one side or edge of the body of the hook and opening out therefrom, as indicated at 6.

7 designates a circular button or disk havin g an external diameter which will adapt it to fit snugly within the circular cavity or recess 2 in the body of the hook and also provided with a central perforation 8, by means of which said button is pivotally mounted upon the pin or stud 3, above referred to.

In orderto secure said button against escape or displacement from its cavity or recess, the outer end of the pin or stud is spread by a riveting-hammer in a manner well understood. Upon its inner face the circular button 7 is provided with a socket 9, in which is mounted a spiral spring 10, which is disposed around the pin or stud 3 and is secured at one end to said button and at the opposite end to the hook-body by the engagement of the hooked end of said spring 11 with a perforation 12 in the base of the cavity or re cess 2.

The circular button or disk 7 is provided with a notch 13 and also with astop 14, which abuts against a shoulder 15 on the body of The button is normally held by means of the tension of the spring 10 in the position indicated in Fig. 1 or with the notch therein registering with the mouth of the segmental slot 5 where it opens'out at one side of the body of the hook, the stop 14 and shoulder 15 serving to limit the rotation of said button for the purpose of holding the notch in the button in the position just referred to. The button is further provided with thumbpieces or projections 16, by the aid of which the button or disk may be rotated a sufficient distance to bring its notch into line with the combination-slot in the body of the hook.

The hook 1 is shown provided with an eye or loop 17 swiveled to one end thereof upon a headed pin or stud 18, thus providing for the attachment of a strap, cord, chain, 85c.

In Fig. 6 I have shown how two of the hooks above described may be combined for adapting the device to be interposed between the adjacent ends of two sections of chains for the purpose of splicing or connecting the same.

The operation of the device will be easily understood. The hook, loop, or chain-link, as the case may be, is inserted into the notch in the pivoted button and moved in the direction of the combination-slot 4: in the body of the hook, which causes the button to revolve until the loop or ring reaches the combination-slot into which it drops, the button rebounding to its normal position, as indicated in Fig. 1. hen it is desired to detach the ring or loop from the snap-hook, the notched button or disk is rotated with the aid of the thumb-pieces described until the slot in said button registers with the combination-slot in the body of the hook, when by allowing the ring or loop to fall into the notch in the button and releasing the button the'latter will operate to pass said ring or loop through the segmental slot in the body of the button and eject the same.

The device above described may be used in a great number of places too numerous to mention, and will be found absolutely safe and reliable wherever used, as it is impossible for the ring, loop, or link engaged thereby to escape or be displaced except by manipulating the button, as hereinabove described.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a snap-hook, the body thereof provided with a circular facial recess in one side, of a diameter equal to the width of the body of the hook, and with a longitudinal slot 4 opening into said recess, and also having a quadrant-a1entrance-slot communicating with the longitudinal slot and forming a radial extension of the circular recess, in combination with a disk-shaped button notched as described and rotatably fitted and mounted. within said recess, substantially as specified.

2. In a snap-hook, the body thereof provided with a circular facial recess in one side and also having a longitudinal slot and a segmental entrance-slot communicating there with, in combination with a disk-shaped button notched as described and mounted to rotate in said recess and also provided with a stop adapted to co-operate with a stop or shoulder on the body of the hook for the purpose of limiting the movement of said button, and a spiral spring located within a recess in the inside face of the button and operating to hold said button normally with its notch in position to engage the ring or loop with which the snap-hook is to be engaged, substantially as described.

3. In a snap-hook, the body thereof provided with a circular facial recess in one side, and also provided with a longitudinal slot, and a segmental entrance-slot communicating therewith, in combination with a diskshaped button mounted to rotate within said recess and provided upon its exterior face with radially-disposed wings or thumb-pieces 1G, a spiral spring arranged within a recess in said button for holding the latter in such position that its notch registers with the mouth of the segmental slot, and co-operating stops on the button and hook for regulating the normal position of said button, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM GRANT TOXVER.

\Vitnesses G. H. BENTON, W. E. Horn/IAN. 

